Baseline Data Collection of Persons with ID/DD by Housing Status: A Cross-Sectional Baseline Survey of Adults with Disabilities in Supported Independent and Family Living

This report presents findings from a baseline cross sectional survey of autistic adults and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) connected to Our Stomping Ground (OSG), a nonprofit organization in northern Virginia committed to supported independent living. The survey was administered in 2022 and 2023 as the first wave of a planned longitudinal study, with the primary goal of establishing a comparable starting point between two groups: adults who were living, or preparing to live, independently in an OSG apartment building, and adults with disabilities who were continuing to live at home with family. A total of 76 adults completed the survey out of 98 potential participants. The two groups were well-matched at baseline across a wide range of characteristics, which is exactly what a sound longitudinal design requires. This comparability means that when follow up data are collected, any observed differences between the groups can be more confidently attributed to the experience of independent living rather than to pre-existing differences. These findings provide the empirical foundation for the longitudinal phase of this study and offer a meaningful snapshot of the health, well-being, and support needs of autistic adults and adults with IDD at a pivotal life stage.